Free-wheel clutch



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D. 5. DE LAVAUD FREE WHEE LLLLL CH In anion 2 W\ *f f u, me. l 1,694,377

D. s. DE LAVAUD FREE WHEEL CLUTCH Filed Feb. 14, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Dec. 1 1, 1928.

UNITED srAras nmrrnrsENsAUn E nAvAUD, on rams, FRANCE. i'

IEEE-'WHEEL CLUTCH.

Application led February 14, 1927, Serial No. 168,164, and in FranceFebruary 19, 1926.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide an extremelysimple vconstruction which will be very positive in its operation andinexpensive to manufacture and in which the clutch blocks will maintaintrue alignment.

The principal features of the invention consist in the novelconstruction of the clutch blocks arranged b etween two cylindricalsurfaces and Aengaging parallel plane surfaces at the ends Vwherebycylindrical surfaces fogm thel bearing surfaces between adjacent blocks.

A further feature of importance consists in the novel construction ofelastically expansible members interposed at intervals between theclutch blocks.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an enlarged elevational diagram showing theconstruction of the clutch blocks.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view of a pair of cylindricalmembers showing the application of the invention.

Figure 3 is a transverse mid-section through the modified constructionillustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a modified structureV taken on thelines 4-4 and 4-4 of Fig. 8.

Figures '5 and 6 are enlarged longitudinal I sectional views of modifiedconstructions of elastic expansible members arranged between the clutchblocks.

JFree. wheel clutches having clutch blocks with eccentrically arrangedcylindrical surfaces engaging the cylindrical surfaces of the drivingand driven members have been previously proposed but such 'have requiredthe use of guides such as lrollers of a lesser diameter than the radialdistance between the cylindrical surfaces of the driving -and drivenmembers and carriages were required to support such guide rollers.

Such prior constructions are expensive to make and produce manyundesirable conditions in the. operation of the clutch.

vIn the present invention the side walls .of the annular recess, 1 inwhich the clutch blocksare housed are'formed with parallel planesurfaces and preferably solid with either one or the other of therotatable cylindrical members.

The clutch blocks. 2 are arranged within .the anular recess 1 and areguided by the parallel plane surfaces thereof and Aare each formed of asingle piece of hardened metal having parallel side faces 3 and 4 andeccentrlally disposed cylindrical surfaces 5 and 6 to engage therespective cylindrical surfaces of the members 7 and 8. The axesA ltheaxes 10 and 11'- of these surfaces are arranged on opposite sides of theline A and on opposite sides of the perpendicular B cutting the axis 9.

The blocks thus formedwhen placed between the members 7 and `8 havetheir adjacent cylindrical surfaces 10 and 11 in surface .contact vthusa rolling contact is rovided which maintains the outer sur aces' 5 and 6in true relationto the main cylindrical members 7 and 3 and friction isreduced to the minimum.

It is preferable that the rolling clutch blocks be held in positiveContact around the cylindrical members and in Figure 2 I show an elasticexpansion member 12 formed of two telescopic sections each having aspherical end 13 to engage the cylindrical surfaces 10 and 11 of theclutch blocks between which the expansion member is located. Thetelescopic members are held apart by the coiled compression spring 14.

Other forms of expansion members are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6,Figure 5 showing the compression spring 15 oused in a .tubular member 15having spherical bodies 15 which are forced apart by the spring 15 l toengage the adjacent clutch blocks. Figure 6 shows the use of a singlespherical body displaced outwardly. by the spring 15, the opposite endof the casing having a spherical head to engage the blocks'.

In the form of the device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the innercylindrical mem.

' Ball bearings 18 are arranged at both sides 'I of the groove 17 tosupport the outer cylindrical member 19.

A. free wheel such as described is very simple to construct andassemble, there will be no binding effect on the free running memberother than that producediby a reverse movement which causes the clutchblocks to rock upon their axes to connect the two rotating memberstogether.

Vhat Iclaim as my invention is f 1. 'A free Wheel clutch comprisingdriving and driven members having spaced cylinl drieal surfaces, andclutch blocks having eccent-rie cylindrical surfaces to engage theaforesaid surfaces the axes of which are offset, said blocks also having-cylindrical surfacesfspaced a lesser distance apart than said eccentricsurfaces and the axes o f which are parallel with and spaced from thesymmetryA axis of each block, the latter surfaces forming rollingpressure contacts between thefb'lo'cks. 1'

free wheel clutch comprising driving driven members having spacedcylindrical surfaces, andv clutch blocks having eccentric cylindricalsurfacesl to engage the aa oresaid surfaces the axes of which areofiset, said blocks also having cylindrical prof tuberances spacedgalesser distance apart than said eccentric surfaces'and arranged on'opposite sides, the axes of which are spaced ,apart in parallel offsetrelation to the axis about which the block revolves, said protub,erances forming offset rolling contacts between the blocks.

3. A free wheel clutch comprising driving and driven members havingspaced cylindrical surfaces, clutch blocks having eccentric ,cylindricalsurfaces to engage the aforesaid surfaces and also having cylindricalsurfaces the'axes of which are parallel with the symmetry axes of theblocks, the latter surfaces forming rolling contacts for the blocks,land'telescopic elastic expansion members interposed at intervalsbetween the clutch blocks, said ex ansion members having spherical endsur aces.

4. A free wheel clutch comprising driving and driven members havingspaced cylindrical "surfaces and clutch blocks-substantially yrectangular .in cross section having their cal surfacesand clutch blockshaving oppositely arranged eccentrically disposed clutch surfaces toengage the former surfaces and having aprotuberances at the side eacharranged adjacent `the point of greatest ec' centricity of one of saidclutch surfaces and forming pressure engaging contacts between theblocks, and resilient means for forcing said blocks together intoLpressure Contact.

6. A free wheel clutch comprising driving fand driven members havingspaced cylindricalA surfaces and clutchbk'cks having. oppositelyarranged eecentrically .disposed clutch surfaces to engage the formersurfaces and4 having pressure contact protuberances at o posite sideseach oifsettoward the polnt of) greatest eccentricity of one of saidclutch surfaces', and resilient means for forcing said blocks intopressure contact.

In testimony whereof I have signed/my name to this specification.

DIMITRI SENSAUD DE LA'VAUD.

